Bookworms Unite! A PH Book Bloggers and Readers Meet-Up (RECAP)

Hi there Misfit booknerds! Missed me? Yeah. I took those 1 week off things again and yeah, it's either I'm really lazy or a slither of creativity just won't grace itself. HAHAHA! Just kidding! I've been very busy with schoolwork for the past week... and yeah, being lazy. HAHAHA!

But before this week ends, I will tell you what happened to me last Sunday, along with some fellow bloggers and booknerds I got to meet! It's Bookworms Unite!

Since the event was gonna happen in Quezon Avenue, my plan to stay at my aunt's place in Taguig was just too difficult. Other than the traffic, it's just way too far. So I asked one of my best friends, Alia of Ponderings of Psyche, to let me stay at her place in Fairview, also coz she has an idea where the place will be. Her family was kind enough to let me live with them for the night. 

When the day arrived, I dragged Alia to come along with me to the event. We got a little lost at first, but that's how we rule. LOL (Basically, I'm useless in situations like these).

(c) Alia of Ponderings of Psyche

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Top 10 Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This week, I'm gonna be talking about books that I really really want to read after being presented to me through various sites and specifically, GOODREADS! :) They have also been in my to-read list and I can't wait till they come out...or until I can have more money in my wallet!

1. Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

Not only am I a fan of the story but also of debut author Amy Zhang for being so young, yet venturing on this tough adventure! I cannot wait till it comes out. The reviews are also mostly positive, so, again, can't wait! Hoping it won't disappoint!

2. Winterspell by Claire Legrand

I don't know how many times I've requested a galley of this but I won't give up. As a kid, I grew up loving the story of the Nutcracker, so it gives me such pleasure that a book that plays upon this story is coming out!

3. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

As you all know I'm a huge music fan  but unfortunately, I haven't read this book even if I want to. It's just not that available at my local bookstore and I have to travel far to get it, there can't be no transfers done and also, I hate ordering online at most cases. But still, once I do get the book, I will dive in.

4. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Again, nuff said. I feel like I'm betraying myself coz I wasn't feeding myself this wonderful book! And with 2 other books, I'm so late to the feast, but I'm still gonna dive in!

5. Speechless by Hannah Harrington

For now, I am speechless.

6. The Unbecoming by Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I feel like I'm not doing my friend justice for not reading this book yet and I feel like I can't relate to certain conversations regarding this, although I am very eager to read it, it's just that, I don't have it.

7. Aleph by Paulo Coelho

I'm a huge Coelho fan but I haven't been reading his stuff lately. I really, really want to but so many stuff on the TBR, it pains me to see this book at the book store and also not having money for it.

8. Memoirs by a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

I've only recently discovered this book even existed and I was enchanted with the synopsis. I want to see whether I'd feel in any way connected to the person I forgot...

9. The Program by Suzanne Young

Murder me now for I know it is a good story!!!

10. Endsinger by Jay Kristoff!

Jayvee, there is this phrase called, "Wait patiently!", but I guess I'm in a bit of doozy when it comes to that! I CANNOT WAIT!!!! It's honestly one of the books I am looking forward to read all year! SWEET MOTHER OF CHEESES!

Keep posted on next week's list coz I'm sure I'd be creepin' out on your timelines or somethin'! :)

The Misfit Interviews with Cammie McGovern

Hi there Misfit Booknerds! So it's another awesome time to raise the spotlight to an amazing author! I interviewed Cammie McGovern, author of the newly released novel, Say What You Will! Get to know her more and how she is as an author! *book shimmy*

BASIC DEETS

What breakfast staple do you usually eat?  

• Smoothies!  I’m trying to get healthier!

As per tradition, what is your favorite color?  

• Green

What TV show are you currently addicted to?  

• Parks and Rec and Modern Family are long-time staples in my life.

Who would you like to do a collaboration with if you were given the chance?   

• I have MANY fellow writers I absolutely adore, but it’s hard for me to imagine collaborating on a long project like a novel (I feel like my first drafts are so horrible that I would never want to show them to anyone—I’d be gripped by self-conciousness and then would quickly become moody and hard to work with…) I could see doing something like a collection of essays or stories featuring kids with disabilities or something like that, maybe! There’s an idea!

AUTHOR STUFF

You started your author career with your first novel Art of Seeing but it was really Eye Contact that made you a breakout star! What would you say inspires you to write these fantastic stories?

• You’re right—EYE CONTACT has been my best selling book so far. I suspect this is because it’s the one that’s closest to my own life. It’s about an autistic boy who witnesses a murder after he’s wandered away from the school playground and into the woods. He’s pretty traumatized and can’t tell anyone what he’s seen so it’s up to his mom to figure out his clues and try to solve the murder. As the mom of an autistic boy, I can say your whole life sometimes feels like you’re trying to figure out clues for what your kid is trying to say.

Say What You Will is your current novel and has been compared to bestsellers like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. What made you write this story about a girl with cerebral palsy and a neurotic?

• I helped start an organization called WHOLE CHILDREN that runs programs for kids and teens with disabilities which means I’ve gotten to know a LOT of these kids and I want more people to hear some of their stories.  One of the surprising things about teens with disabilities is how much they want the same things as their typically-developing peers—like friendships, love, independence, all of that.  I never would have thought my son was interested in girls and romance and then, bam, he became a teenager and started talking about it!  I was really surprised (and touched.)

When you do research for certain stories, how do you condition yourself for them? Does it take you a while to gather data?

• I read a ton.  Memoirs are fantastic, but you have to make sure you read a few different ones to make sure you aren't copying one person’s story too closely.  I read a lot of books written by people with OCD or some form of anxiety disorder.   It’s fascinating and much more common than you would think!

If you had chance to do a side story of Say What You Will, which of the characters would you wish you can extend the stories of? (Sanjay's story seems great in a way even if he is a jerk)

• What an interesting idea! I love it!   I actually have toyed with the idea of revisiting Amy and Matthew down the line a bit, like when Amy gets toward the end of college, just to see where they’re at.  I LOVED the sequel to IF I STAY where she picked up the story a few years later and the couple are so far apart, so you’re rooting for them to get together all over again.  The thing is, I don’t think I’ll do it any time soon.  My editor says aging the characters too much takes it out of Young Adult and makes it  New Adult book.  So I’d have to think about this more…

Finally, what is your advise for writers (such as myself) who wish to embark in the world of publishing and becoming authors too?

• I think you’re already doing my number one recommendation, which is READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN!  The more you read, the better a writer you become.  It’s as simple as that.  Reading expands your vocabulary, but more importantly, it teaches you about good story development, writing effective sentences, things like that.    My other big suggestion is to write as much as you can and not to get too discouraged when things don’t turn out as great as you were hoping they’d be right away.  This is how it ALWAYS is, even for people who have published many books!  I still re-read first drafts and think, how can I be this bad when I've written books that are good? Terrible first drafts can turn into very good books, it just takes a lot of work. 

DEDICATION

I want to thank Cammie for all of her kindness throughout the process and for giving me the time of day! I LOVE YOU! And you can interact with Cammie too through her social media sites: Twitter, Facebook and her Goodreads! She is really nice!

I wouldn't have done any of this without your support Misfit Booknerds! You are all amazing!

LIFE OF A BLOGGER: Collections

Life Of A Blogger is hosted by Jessi from Novel Heartbeat where we let people know more about our lives outside of blogging so they can get to know us better!

HELLO THERE EVERYONE! My name is Jenivieve and this week, I'll be sharing with you my "COLLECTIONS"

I don't think I really have a decent collection of sorts besides my old collection of receipts which got lost because they were all in my wallet and I lost it. YIKES! What a shame. Anyway, the only collection I can find that's my own are these...

So this is my mock bookshelf. As you may have already known, this is an old study table which I converted into my own bookshelf which contains a collection of old and new books that I have bought, borrowed and received. It is still a small collection compared to others, but I am saving up for some really good titles to add here.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Top 10 Books About Friendship

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This is the first time that I am participating in this awesome meme! Seems really fun! And to talk about the books that I love in a particular topic, is a great way to show how much I love mah books! 

So the topic for this week is : Top 10 Books About Friendship

Here's my TOP 10

goodreads.com

Book Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire (1995)

               

I've read quite a few books last February and I have to say that I am quite of myself for getting to read a few even with the almost impossible schedule. But then again, a book nerd will always find time! 

              (Hopefully, there won't be harsh reactions to any of my reviews... THANK YOU!!!)


Read the short synopsis and also purchase it on Good Reads : Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the West was an unbelievable bitch in L. Baum's masterpiece, The Wizard of Oz. We all know Dorothy with her dog Toto and her wonderful, whimsical companions journey on in order to kill The Wicked Witch. But then, do you ever wonder why she's like that? Why she did become so wicked? What could've trigged such hate that it would eventually lead to her demise?

Book Review: The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom (2013)

It's been a while since I've reviewed a book full-scale, I believe. Since I believe I've also been busy with school and reading other books to make sure I get to finish a 100 in a year, I cannot set my priorities straight. But I still, in my right mind *whispers* I believe, that I can review a book even if it's not as intensely long as some of the others I made. I'll probably just go straight to the point.

             (Hopefully, there won't be harsh reactions to any of my reviews... THANK YOU!!!)

Go to GoodReads for synopsis and to order your copies: The First Phone Call From Heaven

The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom is one of those books that challenges my mind as well as my faith, in what I believe in, in what's the truth, in the regrets of the past and the wonders of the future you can't necessarily grab.

Photo Credits to ABS-CBN News

(Mitch with his book! Isn't he adorable!)

Mitch Albom has again, delivered a wonderful read that focuses on life's biggest regrets being piled into one and how a single phone call can change anyone's life for better or for worse. The book talks about how we are driven to do things out of the mistakes and doubts. The main character Sully was such a complicated character to analyze at first but when you get to know him, you'll find that he's just a man, a husband and a father. 

Book Review: Wag Lang Di Makaraos by Eros S. Atalia (2011)

I've been doing a lot of reviews and as you've noticed, their more on movies, especially since I've been into some indie ones. Anyway, if you are not aware of it, I am a self-acclaimed and proud book nerd! I have been since I was 6! LOL! Seriously though, I have had an affinity with books since I can remember. I even read most of the books at our high school library. If you don't believe me, you can ask my friends and the high school librarian too...

What I'm trying to say is that I love books and I want to share my thoughts with you about the books I read. And this is not just to brag that I have this book and that, but more on trying to give a sense of what the book is trying to convey (in my point of view, of course). Don't worry. I don't plan on bashing the books, rather be subjective with it and give my most honest opinions... Shall I get started?

With my first INKBLOTS visit (I'll talk about that later), came the sale of Sir Eros S. Atalia's books. If you don't know who Sir Eros is, well, I feel incredibly sorry for you... Sorry... Not sorry... Anyway, he is a known author and a Don Carlos Palanca Awardee for Literature. He also writes for Pilipino Mirror which is a tabloid.

Credits to Eros Atalia Fiction Writing Clinic Blog

I've got fangirl issues with authors... TEEHEE! Sir EROS! YOU ROCK!!!

Getting back to the books, I bought four of them and one is Wag Lang Di Makaraos (2011), which I read during my 1 week hospital stay. No internet, No TV meant I had all the time in the world to read.

Credits to Visprint Publication's Blog and Dwight De Leon's Wordpress

Wag Lang Di Makaraos features 100 flash fiction stories, all written by Sir Eros, subdivided into different